Video: Interactive posters that love to be kissed

Feeling lonely? Now there's a technology that offers an interactive poster which puckers up when you approach it and blushes when you move away.

Currently under development by a research group at Keio University, this original piece of technology is just waiting for a kiss. Developers are now working on how to use this idea in a commercial way.

An ultrasound sensor above the poster senses the distance between the user and the image displayed and reacts as the person gets closer - i.e. puckers up ready for that long-awaited kiss. When the user moves away again, the image goes into a "blush" mode.

Researchers are planning to develop an iPad application and are also investigating other sensing techniques, including image recognition via the camera. Another idea is to use a light sensor which reacts as shadows are created when the user approaches the poster.

In the video, the developer explains:

"I'm a big fan of pop idols, and I have posters of them in my room. It bugged me that the posters didn't move at all. We built this system because we thought, if a poster could move to match people's movements, that would be interactive and fun."

"This system is very simple. There's an ultrasound sensor here, to detect how far away your head is. As you approach the sensor, the picture changes. When you get closer, the picture becomes a kissing face, and when you move away, it becomes a blushing face."

"The current system only produces visual changes, but we could also include the scent of shampoo from the person's hair, or a lemon-flavored film on the lips, or a speaker that whispers "I love you." People who've tried this system advised us to do those things, so we think there's still plenty to be done. We've learned a lot from talking to users."

"We think we could get pop idols to actually pose for this, and sell it as an application, or it could be used in digital signage. I think people would be really attracted by a face that gives a kiss as they walk past."